The year before last we had great production from our one pair of peafowl-white peacock and pied peahen. I allowed the peahen to hatch out a late hatch that September-2 pied males & 1 pied female. Then last year-nothing happens. An egg laid here every now and then and then seem to disappear; add to that, I accidentally let out one of the pied males. He hung around for a week or so but I could not get him to go back into their pen, so someone else somewhere has a very beautiful pied male. So, this year, built them a big barn with 12 foot fenced in and on top each side of barn. Eggs are beginning to be laid; no one seems to take notice and I take the first 2 eggs and let my silkie hen set; they have hatched out numerous pea chick eggs in the past. The new barn where 2 pair of peafowl are located is predator proof; mice are being run out right now, but that is It I noticed the 2 males trying to fight one another and wondered if one of the males were pecking and eating the eggs. So far I have lost 3 eggs this way, and there is no other animal housed with my 2 pair of peafowl. I separated my white peacock over the weekend and as of yesterday, 2 more eggs in the new barn with the pied male and 2 pied females are located. They were laid pretty close to one another and then I check today and something pecked thru both eggs and ate the contents again! It must be one of the hens or the pied male, or what else could it be? They are fed the proper game bird diet from our local co-op and of course I give them appropriate treats often. What can I do? I found another newly laid egg late this afternoon and brought it in the house with me to keep it safe. How can I figure this out without wasting another whole season? I bet the same thing was going on last year and I just did not realize it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
